In This Issue
News From Around Ohio
February 2 - 9, 2009
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Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs,
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Welcome to the latest issue of Economic News from
Ohio's Regions , a new weekly newsletter from the
Ohio Urban University Program and the Maxine
Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs , Cleveland
State University . We'll search Ohio's papers to bring you economic news and key happenings that impact
Ohio's regions.
Education in Ohio
Plan recasts state funds for private colleges
(Columbus Dispatch, February 4, 2009) Although higher education would be spared the worst of the state's budget-cutting pain -- overall funding during the next two years essentially would be flat -- several programs would be eliminated or cut.
School districts caught in between (Columbus
Dispatch, February 4, 2009) For some Franklin County school districts, Gov. Ted Strickland's new funding proposal is already having an effect.
Three area legislators to help overhaul Ohio schools (Akron Beacon Journal, February 3, 2009)
Democrats now must demonstrate they are capable of leading and solving many of the tremendous problems plaguing the state. The budget must be completed by
June 30 before the beginning of the next fiscal year on
July 1.
Schools await Ohio reform plan details (Toledo
Blade, February 4, 2009) A look at the initial numbers shows districts such as Toledo Public Schools and
Perrysburg schools would see no increase in state funding for fiscal year 2010 and a 2 percent decrease the next year.
School funding could see big shift (Cincinnati
Enquirer, February 4, 2009) Gov. Ted Strickland wants to inject an additional $925 million in Ohio's school districts in the next two years, but almost 40 percent of

Greater Cincinnati systems would see state aid decrease by 2011 under his plan, according to administration estimates.
Schools say 'show me the money' (Bowling Green
Sentinel Tribune, February 3, 2009) The benefits contained in Gov. Ted Strickland's education plan - allday kindergarten, an extended learning year, and changes in state funding - have local school officials optimistic improvements are on the way. But past experience with Ohio's inability to fix funding inequities have created one common theme among area responses: Show me the money.
Editorial: Evident Inadequacy (Akron Beacon
Journal, February 5, 2009) The governor's schoolfunding plan holds promise for the future. Districts rightly may ask: What about now?
Editorial: Shrinking in Akron (Akron Beacon Journal,
February 6, 2009) The city school system must adjust dramatically to declining enrollment. The governor proposes as much in his new school funding plan.
Poorest school districts lose money under
Strickland's proposed changes for funding (The
Plain Dealer, February 9, 2009) Among the 20 lowestwealth districts in the state by property value, 14 lose money under Strickland's plan in the next budget and two get the same, while four will receive modest gains.
News From Around Ohio
Goodbye, City Center (Columbus Dispatch, February
4, 2009) Nearly 20 years after City Center opened as the shining star of central Ohio's retail universe, the obsolete and nearly abandoned mall will be demolished. It is to be replaced by an urban park and, within several years, a collection of buildings that will contain homes, offices, restaurants and shops.
Editorial: Budgeting in the moment (Akron Beacon
Journal, February 4, 2009) The governor scrambles resourcefully in crafting his spending plan.
Unfortunately, Ohio still faces a challenging structural deficit.
City council start chipping away at Toledo's $8.1M deficit from '08 (Toledo Blade, February 4, 2009) In an attempt to begin fixing Toledo's financial crisis, a councilman last night offered up the first idea to chip away nearly $1 million from the city's unexpected deficit left over from 2008.

Ohio budget plan shares gain, pain (Toledo Blade,
February 4, 2009) Although Ohio spending will increase overall during the next two years, the budget proposed by Gov. Ted Strickland has plenty of winners and losers.
Canton, Stark County get nearly $8 million to fight the effects of foreclosure (Canton Repository,
February 3, 2009) The funding isn't to stop foreclosures. It can be used to acquire land and property; to demolish or rehabilitate abandoned properties; and/or to offer down payment and closing cost assistance to low- to moderate-income homebuyers.
Trumbull County job loss is 20 percent since 2000
(Youngstown Vindicator, February 4, 2009) Trumbull
County has lost more than 20 percent of its jobs since
2000, which amounts to a cut in total payroll of $1 billion a year, a new study says.
Loss of jobs spurs more cuts in Warren
(Youngstown Vindicator, February 4, 2009) With job losses piling up at area companies since city council passed its 2009 budget in early December, the city will have to cut expenses about $1.5 million more in the next couple months, auditor David Griffing told council's finance committee Tuesday.
Lake Twp. plans economic district (Bowling Green
Sentinel Tribune, February 4, 2009) The official paperwork for creating a Joint Economic Development
District with the city of Toledo got a first reading at
Tuesday's Lake Township Trustees' meeting.
The JEDD, which would generate income tax revenue for the township and the city, encompasses about 80 acres of undeveloped land around Metcalf Airfield between Drouillard and Lemonye roads.
Strickland proposes big budget for cash-strapped state (Marietta Register, February 4, 2009) Strickland's proposed executive budget for the upcoming biennium assumes the state's use of $3.4 billion in federal stimulus funds to balance the General Revenue Fund and avoid additional cuts.
State budget plan is step back from earlier pledges
(Coshocton Tribune, February 4, 2009) At issue: how much backtracking is allowed in a free falling economy with a state budget that Strickland says is the tightest in
46 years.

Northeast Ohio institutions commit $16 million to venture investments (Crain's Cleveland Business,
February 6, 2009) A coalition of regional institutions announced that it has committed $16 million to create the NEO Capital Fund. The money is just a fraction of the $100 million goal announced in October 2007.
Ohio has lost 262,383 jobs - 5% of its workforce - since 2000, data shows (The Plain Dealer, February
5, 2009) Manufacturing alone lost nearly a fourth of its jobs, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and
Family Services. The figures are based on employers' reports through the first half of 2008.
Governor pushes for state stimulus help (Akron
Beacon Journal, February 6, 2009) Gov. Ted Strickland planned today to discuss the need for the federal stimulus bill as a boost for states to create and save jobs.
Editorial: Trains become better choice for Ohio cities (Dayton Daily News, February 2, 2009) Not long ago, all talk of ambitious passenger rail plans for Ohio was pretty much limited to a few stalwart dreamers.
The state's voters rejected a train proposal decades ago, and that pretty much settled things for the pragmatic classes in Columbus. No longer a dream, passenger rail service is now a government policy.
Editorial: Strickland's gamble (The Plain Dealer,
February 8, 2009) For every $10 in Gov. Ted
Strickland's proposed state budget, almost $1 would be one-time money. That's a recipe for a whopping tax increase in two years -- after Strickland is safely reelected or a Republican replaces him.
Mayor presses for cooperation to tackle area's economic woes (Ashland Times-Gazette, February 7,
2009) Mayor Glen Stewart on Friday stressed the need for "teamwork" to navigate economic hardships, while advocating procedural changes to attract jobs, strengthen infrastructure and adapt to a changing business climate.
UD researchers discover important advance in fuel cell technology (Dayton Daily News, February 7,
2009) The Holy Grail of engineers and environmentalists - a cheap, pollution-free fuel cell that can power everything from cell phones to automobiles - may be a major step closer to reality, thanks to a team of researchers at the University of Dayton.

Edited and compiled by: Molly Schnoke, Center for Civic Education, Maxine Goodman
Levin College of Urban Affairs, Cleveland State University
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